OUTBREAK OF WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

Kumara Times, Issue 2669, 10 April 1885, Page 2

OUTBREAK OF WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

I [REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.] By Electric Telegraph —Copyright. I >—--< RUSSIAN ATTACK ON THE AFGHANS. DEFEAT OF THE AFGHANS, WITH LOSS OF 500 MEN. RUSSIAN LOSS : 11 KILLED, 29 WOUNDED. PRETEXT FOR THE ATTACK. (Received April 10, 11.25 a.m.) London, April 9. Intelligence is to hand to the effect that General Komaroff, the Russian Governor of the Trans-Caspian, attacked the Afghans on the 30th March, on the banks of the Kooshk River. During the engagement the Afghans lost fully 500 men, and were very severely defeated, the whole of their artillery and camp equipments falling into the hands of the Russians. The Russian loss is comprised in 11 killed and 29 wounded. St. Petersburg, April 9. ,_ Despatches are received by the Russian Government from Komaroff, stating that he made an attack on the troops of the Ameer of Afghanistan on account of the hostile movement made fry them. Komaroff reports that after defeating the Afghans he retired to his former position. London, April 9, Later. The Times publishes a telegram from its correspondent at Ghuarin, near Herat, giving details of the encounter between the Russian and Afghan troops on the 30th March. The correspondent states that the pretext for the attack was a change of position of the Afghan outpost at Penjdeh. The Afghans, it stated, have fought with great stubbornness, and the Russian loss is large. Komaroffs forces did not pursue the Afghans on their retreat. A number of British officers witnessed the battle, and afterwards rejoined Sir Peter Lumsden at Herat.

(Received April 10, 2.40 p.ru.) London, April 9, Night. In the House of Commons to-day the Hon. Mr Gladstone made a statemet regarding the outbreak of hostilities on the Afghan frontier. The Premier states that information has reached Government that the Afghans gave no provocation for the attack made upon them by the Russian General Komaroff. He added that the British Cabinet demanded an explanation from the Russian Government as to the occurrence. St. Petersburg, April 9. M. De Giers, Minister for Foreign Affairs, waited on the British Ambassador [Sir R. B. D. Morier, K.C.B.], last evening, and expressed the Czar's hope that the Russo-Afghan incident would not have the effect of stopping the parleying which was proceeding between England and Russia on the 13th ult., that no advance should take place on either side in Afghanistan, ponding negotiations on the Frontier question.